To enter the program, students must have strong skills in oral and written French in order to be able to teach French FLE FSL to various levels of learners. For those whose mother tongue is not French, the equivalent of a DALF is required. High school completion, or equivalent is required. We recommend that students be 20 years of age or older. This program requires a letter of intent, and an interview to determine your fit for the program. See the How to Register section for more details.

While it is not necessary to have a university degree to do the CEFLE, most language institutions in Canada require it to teach.

The Certificat en Enseignement du Francais Langue Etrangere (CEFLE) is designed for those with a good command of French (mother tongue or equivalent, DALF level) who want to train to become teachers of French as a Second Language (FSL) and / or foreign language (FLE). The CEFLE is useful for those already working in the field of education, but also for travelers, or anyone looking for an exciting career change. This training uses a similar model to the CELTA diploma program for teaching English (University of Cambridge). In addition to following the CELTA course structure, it adopts the fundamental principles such as equal employment opportunity without regard to differences of race, gender, civil status, sexual orientation or age.

Explore the latest methodologies and practical skills to manage a classroom and enhance learning

Learn how to plan lessons using a variety of materials while adapting to the needs of students throughout the Francophonie

Experience teaching multi-lingual groups of language learners

Assistance and information in finding work locally and abroad

What You'll Learn

Course objectives

The CEFLE program has two objectives:

Introduce (and/or broaden the understanding of) strategies on the communicative approach.
Experiment with these techniques and develop the corresponding teaching skills.

The course includes: teaching practice, observation of experienced teachers, as well as homework.

Program Overview

Develop methods for teaching the four skills: speaking and writing, listening and reading

Learn how to find and/or develop resources and materials

Lean approaches for teaching French as a second or foreign language

Class Size

CEFLE courses are limited to a maximum of 8 students. CEFLE students reflect the diversity of a typical class of students taking French as a Second or Foreign Language. Teamwork is an important part of the program, and in a career as a French language teacher, and students are encouraged to collaborate with one another to further develop their skills. Individual tutoring is organized mid-term to provide personalized support to each trainee.

Course Structure

The CEFLE is an intensive 4 week program. Classes are full-time, five days a week. In addition to the 120 required course hours, students will complete homework and research outside of scheduled class time.

The program includes:

100 hours of Classroom study during which you will:

Get personalized support (tutoring)

Plan lessons under the supervision of your instructor

Spend 6 hours observing classes run by current ILSC teachers

6 hours of teaching practice, supervised by your trainer or the CEFLE team

Feedback on your teaching practice from your Trainer Trainer and from other trainees in the program

Students should factor approximately 60 hours work outside of class for homework, lesson preparation and research

Assessment

To pass the certificate, students must:

Attend, and be on time for all classes and scheduled course components

Complete the teaching practice

Observe experienced teachers

Maintain their employment record and their equipment.

Complete four written assignments

Students are evaluated throughout the program, and their performance and succes on each of the above elements contributes to the final grade. There is no final exam. Upon satisfaction of the requirements of the certificate, the candidates will be provided written feedback from their instructor. Successful students will receive the CEFLE (a certificate of program completion from ILSC-Montreal).

How to Register

Call or write to ILSC-Montreal to obtain an application form. You will need to include a handwritten letter of intent with your application. After a first contact with the CEFLE team, you will need to fill out the application form and write a personal statement. Once this has been sent, you will meet a CEFLE team member for an interview (by telephone for international candidates) who will assess whether you are ready to complete the training and assess your fit for a career as a French foreign or second language teacher. Acceptance into the program will be decided in the final interview.